María Elvira Salazar: “in a few minutes my colleagues here in the Senate will be voting on an amendment sponsored by Senator Wayne Allard and…”

“in a few minutes my colleagues here in the Senate will be voting on an amendment sponsored by Senator Wayne Allard and myself, amendment No. 2423. I am here to speak for a few minutes to urge my colleagues to support the amendment. This is an important amendment that recognizes the great work the employees at Rocky Flats have been doing on behalf of our Nation for a long time. When Rocky Flats was first proposed to be cleaned up, as the place where plutonium triggers were being manufactured for the United States of America and for national security, it was contemplated that we were undertaking a project that would take many years. Some had suggested it would take as long as 60 years to clean up Rocky Flats at a cost of $35 billion. Yet when all was said and done, because of the great work of both Democratic and Republican administrations, and these dedicated workers, we were able to accomplish the task in just over 5 years as opposed to 60 years and at a cost of $7 billion as opposed to $35 billion. It was anticipated at the time when the contracts were executed that the cleanup in no way, shape, or form would ever be accomplished any earlier than December 15 of 2006. Yet because of the great work that has been done, the work has now been finished.…”